What is an Internet Sex Crime?

People can now communicate with each other and access information with a keystroke or a tap of the finger. From social media and email to news and entertainment websites, people use the internet to learn, work, communicate, and stay connected with friends, loved ones, and random people all over the world. But the internet has likewise made it easier for predators to commit sex crimes.

While the method of committing these sex crimes have changed, the law hasn’t. Under federal and state law, it’s a crime to use the internet to engage in unlawful sexual activities, including, but not limited to, the following:

Child Pornography

Possessing, creating, or distributing sexual images that depict young kids or minors is a felony. A person can even face felony charges for unknowingly or unintentionally downloading such pictures or videos. It’s also crucial to note that actively searching online for child pornography is illegal.

Sexting

While adults can freely trade nude pictures and videos of sexual activities on their smartphones, if either the recipient or sender of such digital files is younger than 18 years old, the adult recipient or sender may be charged with a felony crime.

Soliciting Sex from Minors

Online solicitations of minors encompass a variety of crimes. This means that the specific offense an individual may be charged with would depend on the circumstances of the case, which can include the minor’s age, the purpose of the online communications, and the outcome of those online communications. Attempting to engage in any kind of sexual activity with a minor, such as asking a minor online to hook up or through an app, is illegal.

Revenge Porn

Distributing or posting sex acts or nude images involving another individual without their permission or extorting or threatening someone, like a former partner, with making these images public is illegal.

Consult with a Skilled Ventura Internet Sex Crimes Lawyer Now

If you get convicted of any of these internet sex crimes, you may face costly fines, jail time, sex offender registration, residency restrictions, and a host of collateral consequences that can ruin not just your personal life but your career as well. Sometimes, what may seem like a harmless tap on your phone or strokes on your keyboard can lead to a conviction for an internet sex crime.

Due to the heightened attention to implementing internet sex crime laws in the state and the resources provided to prosecutors, police departments, and other law enforcement agencies to enforce these laws, it’s very important that you understand the laws that apply to your case and potential penalties you may face for a conviction.

If you or a loved one has been charged or arrested with an internet sex crime, please don’t delay reaching out to our Ventura internet sex crimes lawyer to learn about your legal options and rights. Call the law office of Bamieh & De Smeth at 805-643-5555 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation with our Ventura internet sex crimes lawyer as soon as possible.